Iraq’s PM Gives Warning To Kataib Hezbollah To Stop Rocket Attacks In Baghdad

In June Iraq opened talks with the United States over a new security agreement. Pro-Iran Hashd units responded with a series of rocket attacks upon targets in Baghdad that housed Americans like the International Airport and the Green Zone. Prime Minister Mustafa Kazemi said that these incidents would not be tolerated. When they continued the Counter Terror Service launched a raid against Kataib Hezbollah sending a warning that the premier would not accept these continued security violations.

In June there have been seven rocket attacks in Baghdad. Starting on June 8, the Green Zone and the Taji Base in the north have been hit twice each, while the Baghdad International Airport has been struck three times. Additionally, rockets were discovered aimed at Camp Taji. In response, the Joint Operations Command warned on June 14 that it would not stand for attacks on military bases, followed by two further statements by the prime minister that further incidents would not be tolerated. As the attacks went unabated PM Kazemi decided to give a sterner message.

Date	Target
Jun 8	Baghdad International Airport
Jun 10	Green Zone
Jun 13	Taji Base
Jun 14	Taji Base
Jun 15	Baghdad International Airport
Jun 18	Green Zone
Jun 22	Baghdad International Airport

On the night of June 25 the Counter Terror Service (CTS) raided Kataib Hezbollah’s headquarters in southern Baghdad. Rockets were seized and 13 members were arrested including three commanders and possibly three members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The head of Kataib Hezbollah Abu Fadak responded by organizing a convoy of his men and members of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba and drove to the Green Zone where they went to the CTS offices to protest. Negotiations then ensued and the detainees were turned over to the security directorate of the Hashd Commission. Pro-Iran Hashd groups considered this a victory because the security directorate is run by a Kataib Hezbollah leader.

This raises the question of why PM Kazemi chose this fight with Kataib Hezbollah. This didn’t appear to be the start of an effort to bring the Hashd al-Shaabi under government control hence the release of the Kataib Hezbollah members to the Hashd Commission. It could simply be a sterner warning to Kataib Hezbollah that its rocket attacks in the capital will have repercussions. Previous premiers did nothing about these incidents, but Kazemi apparently had enough. Rockets being fired every couple days in Baghdad hurts the image of Iraq and flouts the authority of the state. Firing at Taji Base also threatens the lives of the security forces that run the facility. If this was a limited matter it was still a first for the authorities to try to reign in the Pro-Iran groups who have been able to do what they wanted over the last several years.

SOURCES

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